Our “12 Days of Holiday Art” series continues with Mary Ellen Golden’s “Where’s the Tree?,” a painting-turned-greeting-card available at her Golden Gallery, 311 North Front St., or online at www.TheGoldenGallery.com

break from completing my Roussilon lavender field full sheet watercolor about a month ago and painted “Where’s That Tree?” one afternoon and evening,” Golden wrote in an email. “The theme harks back to the Island of Lights sandpiper and Christmas lights motif of 2 years ago when I painted “Decking the Tree” (pictured below) for the Island of Lights Christmas Card.”

Did painting “Where’s the Tree?” give you an early boost of holiday spirit this year?

It was fun painting something so bright and cheerful and gave me a real boost of energy and holiday spirit.

Do you enjoy working with a holiday aesthetic?

I do! It makes people smile, particularly if it is beach themed!

Christmas at the beach isn’t as popularly represented as wintry white Christmases up North. Why depict Christmas at the beach?

People do request the beach themed artwork, because they want to share where they live, particularly with the friends who are snowbound. : )

Did you create “Where’s the Tree” and “Decking the Tree” with the intention of them becoming Christmas cards? Or did you decide to make them cards after completing them.

Both were painted to become cards, but also with the intention of becoming artwork for the walls. “Decking the Tree” was only a card for the Island of Lights Festival two years ago. They became collector’s items for those who bought them at Carolina Beach and the image is only available as giclee prints since they sold out.

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The WAE: Wilmington-area Arts & Entertainment is dedicated to experiencing, discussing and promoting the arts in Southeastern N.C. From theater and all manner of music to visual art, dance, festivals and more, The WAE is populated by people who are immersed in local A&E. If it’s about A&E in Southeastern N.C., then we’re all about it.